Not Your Typical Steering Wheel
Despite the famous saying, many have reinvented the wheel – examples include the fixed-hub design in the Bugatti Tourbillon and the yoke-style steering layout in EVs, such as the Tesla Model S. BMW is also taking a step in this direction with a new steering wheel featuring two vertical spokes, introduced in its Neue Klasse EVs, including the iX3 and the recently unveiled i3. While some have criticized the design, in part because it breaks from the brand’s traditional three-spoke layout, BMW Design Director Adrian van Hooydonk has explained the reasoning behind it.
According to BMW Blog, van Hooydonk approved the design to minimize obstruction of Panoramic Vision, the wide display mounted at the base of the windshield that replaces the traditional instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. The challenge was eliminating the horizontal spokes, and the solution, at least on the drawing board, was to orient them vertically instead.
Designed Around the Screen
The design chief explained, “In order to see that display, we needed to open up the sightline.” Acknowledging the debate around the vertical spokes, he added, “The thing you’ve been arguing about online is, in a very literal sense, a byproduct of where BMW put the screen.”
The design also led some to think it was a four-spoke steering wheel. However, the sections that house the controls are not physically connected to the rim, giving the setup a floating appearance. Van Hooydonk said this was taken into account from a usability standpoint, explaining, “We move those switches in a position where you can operate them with your thumbs easily.” It’s worth noting, however, that despite some automakers like Volkswagen returning to physical buttons, BMW’s two-spoke steering wheel uses haptic controls.
BMW
More Than Just a Design Exercise
Van Hooydonk also addressed concerns about the driving experience – particularly during drifting – by taking the car onto a skid pad and testing it himself.
In the European-spec iX3, the two-spoke steering wheel, with vertical spokes at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions, comes standard, though buyers can opt for a white finish for an additional £225, or about $300 at current exchange rates. The all-electric crossover is expected to arrive in the U.S. in summer 2026 with a starting price of around $60,000. Meanwhile, its sedan counterpart, the i3, is set to begin production in August, with U.S. availability to follow in 2027.
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